I always wondered about Morse Abbreviations

AA	All after (used after question mark to request a repetition)
AB	All before (similarly)
ARRL	American Radio Relay League
ABT	About
ADR	Address
AGN	Again
ANT	Antenna
ARND	Around
BCI	Broadcast interference
BK	Break (to pause transmission of a message, say)
BN	All between
BTR	Better
BUG	Semiautomatic mechanical key
B4	Before
C	Yes; correct
CBA	Callbook address
CFM	Confirm
CK	Check
CL	Clear (I am closing my station)
CLG	Calling
CQ	Calling any station
CQD	Original International Distress Call
CS	Callsign
CTL	Control
CUD	Could
CUL	See you later
CUZ	Because
CW	Continuous wave (i.e., radiotelegraph)
CX	Conditions
DE	From (or “this is”)
DN	Down
DR	Dear
DSW	Goodbye (Russian: до свидания [Do svidanya])
DX	Distance (sometimes refers to long distance contact), foreign countries
EMRG	Emergency
ENUF	Enough
ES	And
FB	Fine business (Analogous to “OK”)
FCC	Federal Communications Commission
FER	For
FM	From
FREQ	Frequency
FWD	Forward
GA	Good afternoon or Go ahead (depending on context)
GE	Good evening
GG	Going
GL	Good luck
GM	Good morning
GN	Good night
GND	Ground (ground potential)
GUD	Good
GX	Ground
HI	Humour intended
HR	Here, hear
HV	Have
HW	How
II	I say again
IMP	Impedance
KN	Over
LID	Poor operator
MILS	Milliamperes
MNI	Many
MSG	Message
N	No; nine
NIL	Nothing
NM	Name
NR	Number
NW	Now
NX	Noise; noisy
OB	Old boy
OC	Old chap
OM	Old man (any male amateur radio operator is an OM)
OO	Official observer
OP	Operator
OT	Old timer
OTC	Old timers club
OOTC	Old old timers club
PSE	Please
PWR	Power
PX	Prefix
QCWA	Quarter Century Wireless Association
R	Are; received as transmitted (origin of “Roger”), or decimal point (depending on context)
RCVR	Receiver (radio)
RFI	Radio Frequency Interference
RIG	Radio apparatus
RPT	Repeat or report (depending on context)
RPRT	Report
RST	Signal report format (Readability-Signal Strength-Tone)
RTTY	Radioteletype
RX	Receiver
SAE	Self-addressed envelope
SASE	Self-addressed, stamped envelope
SED	Said
SEZ	Says
SFR	So far (proword)
SIG	Signal or signature
SIGS	Signals
SK	Out (proword)
SKED	Schedule
SMS	Short message service
SN	Soon
SNR	Signal-to-noise ratio
SRI	Sorry
SSB	Single sideband
STN	Station
T	Zero
TEMP	Temperature
TFC	Traffic
TKS	Thanks
TMW	Tomorrow
TNX	Thanks
TT	That
TU	Thank you
TVI	Television interference
TX	Transmit, transmitter
TXT	Text
U	You
UR	Your or You’re (depending on context)
URS	Yours
VX	Voice; phone
VY	Very
W	Watts
WA	Word after
WB	Word before
WC	Wilco
WDS	Words
WID	With
WKD	Worked
WKG	Working
WL	Will
WUD	Would
WTC	Whats the craic? (Irish Language: [Conas atá tú?])
WX	Weather
XCVR	Transceiver
XMTR	Transmitter
XYL	Wife
YF	Wife
YL	Young lady (used for any female)
ZX	Zero beat
73	Best regards
88	Love and kisses

Desert painting

The Gipp’s Guide who painted this painting came from an Australian Dessert Area. An elder of her tribe gave permission for it to be given to and displayed by the Hazelwood and Churchill guide District.

Four directions painted

Over a period of a few weeks the challenge of creating four paintings.  The Gipp’s Guides asked two locally known artists is give them some ideas.  In the end four canvasses were finished.  These four canvases represent the directions that Gipp’s Guides thought their Unit was going.

Initially the evening was at a stale mate as no one wanted to ‘dirty’ the four new canvases.  Nor could anyone really agree what and how the canvases should be painted.  To jump start things one artist just went and paired up the members, then got the paints and poured and spluttered the tubes over the canvas areas.  Then she got the fingers into the paint…not her own .. two of the Gipp’s Guides. And then… out came the ‘No more gaps’ and ‘fill a hole foam’ stuff.  Such fun getting hands dirty. But the Gipp’s Guides got into the swing of it and these paintings [North, East, South and West...

Actually they called the paintings -High Country, Forest, Desert and Cities as it turned out.  The Walk through a portion of Tarra Bulga park, [ Victoria, Australia] was soon next on the agenda… but thats a different story.

The pictures then went on display at a Business award forum and presentation, and an Art Show, they are now usually  on display at the Hazelwood South Hall.

Pre-Planning for the Tent and Gadget Overnight stay

For Guides and new  in training Leaders

Things to do at meeting times before July 8th 10 am.

• Practice skipping, snakes or Philippine skipping with poles.
• Be sponsored for the Jump Rope For Heart
• Learn Songs for camp fire’
• Prepare for the campfire

  

  Image via Wikipedia

• Have a go at activities and things that make up a wide game.
• Practice our Promise in case we want to make it/ reaffirm it. [along with salute, handshake, horseshoe and smile]
• Have an understanding of what it means to make my Promise.
• Practice the cooking -on BBQs, buddy burners and on the stove.
• Work out the menu
• Kitchen Safety
• Learn some of the basic Knots
• Make a Teddy Bear for camp s and activities
• What are whistle and Hand signals for?
• Make Gadgets —- more than just the mini tripods too!
• Have a kit list so we know what to pack
• Make Patrol for sharing of overnight stay Patrol duties.

  

  Image via Wikipedia

• Parents meeting – allergies, menus, staff and questions answered.
• Learn Morse Code. also the Morse Code abbreviations.
• Practice using the Units camera’s.
• Have some program ideas
• Check First Aid gear
• Have a basic Health and Safety understanding (to the level of their understanding) relevant to the intended activities.
• Have fire Drills
• Emergency assembly areas and know the emergency evacuation drill too.

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International Morse Code

Image via Wikipedia

I finally found another smaller chart that has the Morse code on it. When the First JOTA was being organised in this District at the Hazelwood South Hall I hand copied a similar chart onto large card board and protected it’s face with contact.  Over ten years later and we still use this diagram.

Other ways of learning or reaffirming the skills of Morse Code are through games, use of equipment, educational tools [like flash cards] computer programs and experts who can come in to your meeting time [ or you go to theirs] or through the JOTA’s and now JOTI’s that happens in October.  Some countries call JOTA …GOTA  as in ‘Guides On The Air’.

Round turn and Two Half Hitch Knot

Just knots, hitches and more list

For a fantastic list of knot try this site  For a basic knot in annamation try this Guiding Site.

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

However there are knots that Guides from this district are taught through practise, challenges, games, making and using.  And lots more practice.  These are the:

Clove Hitch

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Donkey Knot

Fisherman’s knot

Larks head [ or cows hitch]

Reef Knot

Round turn and two half hitches

Stopper knot

Slip knot

Square Knot

Tent articles

General Information

• Shelters have varied over the years
• Brailing Pegs what are they
• Canvas Tent terminology
• Kitchen fly
• Striking the tent
• Wooden tent pole terms
• Working as a team

Shelters have varied over the years.

Not being there myself early humans would have needed some type of shelter from the environment would they not?

The initial caves and tree houses may have been a bit difficult to pack away and move when ever the whims of nature and mankind’s needs changed. So temporary shelters were erected.  Nature would have insisted on knocking things around so there had to be something to hold things together.  Early in human history there was not the electricity available so there went nail  and hot glue guns.  Vines and then ropes would have been used.  One knot would have suited a purpose better than another.  So certain knots were put to different uses.  Different ropes tied better knots for different jobs.  Trial and error and lots of practice kept these knots current.

Walls might have been designed as fences to keep animals and other wild things out.  The bigger the area above ment that something had to be designed to hold the brances, bark and or leaves above.  Then came thatching.  In some areas of the world this and other factors meant settling down.

Other times what was used as roof for one area  was not available in another area.  Woven material or animal hides may have then been used. The walls mean people did not have to bend down whilst walking around.  Good but how to tie the hides onto the roof?  Probably despiration measures put the idea of using rope or hide tide from the hide to something in the ground.  The next step was to create something a little more permanent.  Knots had to be invented to stop the pull ropes from slipping.  Hence the picture included.

With the light weight nylon tents there are small hoops sewn into the base of the floorings.

With all these shelter types available the combined knowledge the Leaders of the Hazelwood and Churchill Guide District have means there is much in this field for you to learn from.  Have fun adding to their knowledge too.

Program ideas for tent and gadget overnight stay

Camp fire

Erecting the Tents

Jump rope for heart 2010

Making Ginger Biscuits, somores in tinfoil and over the flame

Penny Hike

Practice using Morse Code at Night

Striking the tents

Take Photos